Friday, November 6, 2009

Friday Fragments: I am THE Queen

I was minding my very own business the other day (which is something I'm not wont to do often) when I received an email from our mutual friend, Jill of the quilted pictures. In that same tome, she christened me Queen of Trivia. Hmmm. I don't know. Do I really like trivia that much? She referenced my blog and its submissions of trivia, but I really don't think that makes me the queen because of the approximate 12 million blogs out there in 2008, many contained trivia.

It wasn't trivia that won me that Starbucks card over at Nancy's blog. Whatever it was, I'm a happy, happy soul. You need to go over there and meet her darling boys!

Maybe good fortune was really smiling on me because I not only won that gift card, but I escaped near death when a slew of cans fell out of a kitchen cabinet. There has been a rise in insurance claims involving kitchen accidents in the last couple of years. I may not have gotten hurt, but the cans did cut in half my son's cell phone charger wire to the tune of a $26 replacement.

On Monday, I was greeted by an enthusiastic yet muddled student who has spent the first half of the semester questioning my course structure, the assignments, the worthiness of English to be taught at a community college, how writing essays would help her as a plumber, and so on. But this day, she was loving English. The essays finally made sense. She had conquered her personal version of Writer's Block and was actively engaged in liking me and my class. I assured her that while 30% of college freshmen drop out, 50% of all college enrollees never graduate, so her fourth attempt at passing English was exemplary.

At some time during that lovely exchange, my son's school called to say he really couldn't breathe. Our family scale is 1-10 for asthma. One means he could run all day without trouble while 10 means we need to see the doctor today. When the secretary, who clearly thinks my son is a bit of an actor, put him on the phone, he whispered, "I'm 5.5." It was enough for me to leave work and pick him up. After all, the number of pediatric asthma deaths has declined since 1999, but the number of doctor visits to treat asthma has more than doubled in that same time-frame.

On that same note, we are going to see the ENT next week to determine if afore-mentioned child needs another set of ear tubes. One pediatrician said yes; one said no. We shall let the ENT decide. Doesn't it boggle your mind that 700,000 kids get ear tubes each year?

I should have been an ear tube doctor or maybe an orthodontist. The husband\wife team charged with improving my daughter's smile, work three days per week and see their final patient at 3:00. The first appointments start about 9. Consider these facts and then cry at the career choice you did make:



- private practice average income = $420k, based on a survey by the American Association of Orthodontists
- average # days worked: 4
- average # hours worked per week: 32
- average malpractice insurance : <$5,000 per year - only 2-3 years of residency after dental school, no fellowships required or even available

Those numbers make me cry (I don't know whether they were emotional tears or reflex tears) but I do know that when I was done, I remembered that I forgot to thank our hostess this week, Mrs. 4444. I don't think she earns $420k a year, but I suspect that what she does as a special education teacher is of far more value than straightening smiles.

Friday Fragments?

21 comments:

4 Lettre Words said...

I love trivia, too.

ENTs have it pretty good, huh!?!

Laura ~Peach~ said...

tears.... they are opening a new dental school here at the medical college of ga... wonder if obama would pay me to go???

Laura ~Peach~ said...

with the exception of my inate fear of anyone coming at my mouth with sharp instruments.... i guess i could get over it.... maybe...ewwwwwww somehow i dont think so...never mind...

MsTypo said...

Are orthodontists as evil as dentists? :p Congrats on winning your gift certificate!! :)

Beckie said...

I'm a new reader here and I love your blog! I soo should have been an orthodontist! Oooh the glamourous stuff I could have done/seen/bought with that kind of an income!

Decadent Housewife said...

Just the mention of asthma makes me shudder - you don't fool around with kids who can't breathe. Hope his teacher will realize that. And hope you can get him under control with it.

I Am Woody said...

I think I'm going to make a career change....

Cat said...

My Dad's a doctor. 4 days a week, 8 hours a day, 500k a year.

Stupid liberal arts degree.

won said...

Caution,

I saw a brief blurb about asthma in children and a connection to acetaminophen (thank God for spell check right there.

I don't know if it's applicable, just wanted to pass along that bit of non trivia related info.

Anytime you're in a bind, my offer stands.

T said...

I love reading your tidbits - I come away with juicy info that seems like I just pulled it out of my head (though - I really should be giving you kudos)!

I hope your son is feeling better - asthma scares the crap out of me!

Betty W said...

Yeah, going through the same expenses with my daughter at the moment! Those orthodontist charge an arm and a leg here too!! It´s a international conspiracy!

betty said...

congrats on winning the Starbucks card! so glad that student of yours is enjoying English (for the fourth time, how funny, but at least she's trying to get it done)

good scale with the asthma, that helps you determine what to do; good call to get son to doctor

wow, maybe I should tell my son to go to dental school; and you know braces usually are never covered by insurance but lots of kids have them......

betty

Nancy C said...

Thanks for the shout-out! I bought your card today and it'll be in the mail by the weekend.

My friend is an orthodontist,and he works only 3 days a week. However, getting private health insurance has been a nightmare...

My youngest had tubes at seven months and they are fantastic. No ear infections, the surgery, start to finish was only 45 minutes (that's including pre-op and recovery).

Noe Noe Girl...A Queen of all Trades. said...

I am so in the wrong field!
<><

The (Un)Experienced Mom said...

Ok, that kind of money is insane! Although, salary.com did say that a stay-at-home-mom with 2 kids under 5 yrs old should be making on average $130,000. But of course, I have yet to meet a SAHM making that kind of money and we definitely work our butts off!

Feel free to stop on by:

www.theunexperiencedmom.com
Tamara

Lucy and Ethel said...

Queen of Trivia?

Who'da thunk.

I always enjoy coming here. Sometimes I even leave smarter :)

Lucy

Lawyer Mom said...

9 to 3 and big $$ to boot! Where do I sign?

mub said...

I'm glad it was your son's cell phone charger cable and not your HEAD that got destroyed!

I'm glad your student is "getting it" now. It's so easy to just give up and she didn't!

Troop Scoop said...

I'm sure our value as educators is every bit as important as straight teeth, heehee.

Fourth time with that class, huh? Wow~She's either stubborn or ??

I would never fault you for being CAUTIOUS about your son's asthma. It's your namesake, obviously, but asthma is no trivial matter.

Have a great, safe weekend (and watch out for runaway pantries!)

Julie said...

oh my, I had no idea they made that much. WOW. And that is awesome to hear a student is enjoying you and your class... that is awesome!

Busy Bee Suz said...

You are the queen of trivia. You need to have your own business cards stating this. Then it will be legit.
Kitchen accidents on the rise? I should stay away from my kitchen though.
I totally should have been an orthodontist. You did not add in the cost you save when your own kids get braces too. I could add another 11k to my income!!!